Finish Knitting

A finished knitting project must be ended with a special type of stitch in a process called casting or binding off. These final stitches will ensure that the piece will be securely held in place. If you skip casting off, your knitting project will unravel. To prevent this, there are quite a few techniques you can use.

Steps

Learning the Standard Cast-Off

  1. Pause before starting what will be your project's final row. This type of cast-off requires two knitting needles. It will create a tight edge without much stretchiness. Replace your right-hand needle with a larger one if you want it to have a little more give.[1]
  2. Start by doing only the first two stitches of the final row. It often works best to continue following the project's pattern on this row, though you can also knit or purl across. This will leave you with two stitches on your right-hand needle and the rest of the project still on your left-hand needle.[2]
  3. Pull the second stitch on the right-hand needle over the first and off the needle. Use your fingers to gently lift it up and over. The second stitch will now form a loop around the yarn leading to the first. Keep the remaining first stitch on the right-hand needle.[2]
  4. Add another stitch on the last row. The new stitch should now be the one closest to the point of your right needle, while what was previously the first stitch is now the second. Continue to follow the project's pattern if you're using one. These stitches will functionally be your final row.
  5. Repeat the process as described above. Keep adding another stitch to the right needle and pulling the older stitch over it and off the needle. Work until the last stitch of your project is alone on your right needle. Be extra careful when doing these stitches, as they will make up the edge of your project. The quality of the stitching will be much more apparent than with the inner rows.[3]
  6. Cut the yarn to free your project. Make sure to leave a tail of free yarn between one to five inches long. Leave a longer tail if you plan to sew or weave this piece to another. For weaving, leave at least 12 inches.
  7. Pull the tail through the loop of the final stitch. Remove your piece from the right-hand needle. Tug the tail until the final loop is closed and secure. Trim off any extra tail yarn unless you will be adding to it later as previously discussed.[2]

Doing a Three-Needle Seam

  1. Determine if this bind-off is right for the project. This cast-off works best for creating shoulder seams of sweaters and in other projects requiring a change of direction. It can also be used to join two separate pieces of knitting.
    • If you're binding a single piece, work your project from the middle, moving out toward either side. When you reach the final row, leave your stitches on the needle. Before you begin this cast-off, you should have an equal number of "live" stitches on two needles.
    • When joining separate pieces, leave the final row of each on a knitting needle. They must be made up of the same number of loops.[4]
  2. Line up the stitches. Use your left hand to place the needles parallel to each other. The finished portion of each piece should be pointing downwards. Make sure each stitch lines up with its partner.
  3. Insert a third needle. Place this third needle underneath the first two needles and through the first stitch on each. The first stitches should now be wrapped around the third needle.
    • A third needle that is wider than the first two is preferable but not necessary.
  4. Knit the first stitch of the seam. Use your working yarn to make the first new stitch over your third needle. Pull this new stitch under the other two existing loops. Tug the two original stitches off of their needles. Repeat this so that your third needle has two loops.
  5. Pull the second stitch of the third needle up and around the first. Use your fingers to gently lift it up and over. The second stitch will now form a secure loop around the first. Keep the remaining first stitch on the third needle.[4]
  6. Repeat the above process. Add new stitches to your third needle and pull the old stitch over the new one. Keep working until you've stitched together every loop. This is very similar to the standard bind-off with the major difference being you are knitting through two loops at a time instead of one. Another major difference is that the final edge you are creating will be inside the piece and invisible.
  7. Cut the yarn when you've finished your final stitch. Make sure to leave a tail of free yarn between one to five inches long. Pull the tail through the loop of the final stitch. Remove your piece from the third needle. Tug the tail until the final loop is closed and secure. Trim off any excess tail yarn.[2]

Binding Off with a Crochet Hook

  1. Finish your entire project, including the last row. Replace your right-hand needle with a similarly-sized crochet hook. This method is very similar to the standard cast-off, but many people find working with a crochet hook faster and easier. Additionally, this method requires no additional yarn other than a short tail, in case you misjudged length or are otherwise in a bind. [5]
  2. Pick up two stitches with the crochet hook. Slide the hook underneath the first two loops on the needle. Remove them from the needle onto your crochet hook. Slide the hoops down so that they rest on the straight part of the tool rather than the hook itself.[6]
  3. Pull the second stitch over the first. With either your fingers or knitting tools, carefully take the second loop and bring it up over the first. Remove the second stitch from the crochet hook while leaving the first.[7]
  4. Transfer the next stitch from the needle to the crochet hook. You should now have two loops on the hook. Repeat the previous step with these two stitches. Continue this process with each loop that remains on your needle. Pull the small tail of yarn through the last stitch to finish.[7]



Tips

  • If you start your project with the crochet cast-on and use the basic cast-off, it'll look the same on either end, hiding where you started and where you ended.
  • The thicker and bulkier the yarn and needles that you're working with, the longer you'll want to leave your ending tail for weaving it into the fabric.

Related Articles

  • Cast Off a Finger Knitted Piece
  • Unravel Knitted Work Easily
  • Sew Up Knitting
  • Improve the Handling of Knitting Needles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-bind-off-or-cast-off-knitting.html
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 http://www.aokcorral.com/projects/howcastoff.htm
  3. ↑ http://cache.lionbrand.com/faq/74.htm
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEfall06/FEATfall06TT.html
  5. ↑ https://www.stitchdiva.com/tutorials/knitting/crochet-hook-bind-off
  6. ↑ http://www.stolenstitches.com/tutorials/bind-offs/looped-crochet-bind-off/
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/archives/2006/07/04/i_cant_stand_to_watch.html

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